5 Must-Have Mobile Marketing Tools for Businesses
It seems like every week I read a new set of statistics about the importance of mobile in a company’s marketing strategy. Two of the most recent stand out. The first, from SteamFeed, included the fact that in the United States, 37 percent of internet usage occurs on mobile devices. The second and more interesting [...] Author information Jim Belosic Jim Belosic is the CEO of ShortStack , a self …
Congestion is bad for business
One of the worst parts of Chicago in the winter is not just that it gets cold and snowy, but everyone’s commute tends to take longer. Of course, maybe it’s not that much worse than the summer, when construction slows us down.
We’re back to our two seasons: winter and construction.
Not only is it a frustrating, time-consuming drag on our daily lives, but it’s a drag on business too. If you’re coming from the suburbs and you have a meeting downtown, you could be looking at an hour and a half – maybe even more – in the car.
It hurts our region. You shouldn’t be subject to a life-changing commuting challenge just because you want to go from the suburbs to the city, or vice versa. It’s a cramp on both your working and personal life. It’s also a burden for companies trying to recruit the best people.
One recent study by the Texas Transportation Institute ranked Chicago as the worst in the nation when it comes to traffic congestion. Of course, you don’t need a study to tell you about the palpable frustration you feel when you’re trying to get to work, a cultural or sporting event, or a conference, and you’re sitting on the Kennedy going nowhere.
We’ve talked about the Chicago Broadband Challenge as a way to improve the infrastructure of our Internet. But what about the infrastructure of our roads and highways? Have we thought about how much that could improve our business environment?
It’s time we think about car pool lanes, expanding our roads and building out our infrastructure to alleviate the gridlock. It should be part of our overall plan to make Chicago one of the most business friendly cities in the nation.
We were willing to make major infrastructure investments to host the Olympics. Why not do it for our everyday residents and visitors in the Chicago area? Boston did it with its Big Dig project, a major overhaul of its notoriously stuffy highways.
We know this is a great place to live and work. We should work toward making it a great place to get around in. It will make our position as a great business hub that much stronger.
Michael Alter is president and CEO of SurePayroll, a small-business payroll services company based in Glenview.
Follow SurePayroll and Michael Alter on Twitter.
Join Crain’s LinkedIn group for Chicago entrepreneurs. And stay on top of Chicago business with Crain’s free daily e-newsletters.
Let’s lead the way to prosperity
It’s been both a frustrating and promising year for the Chicago area economy. We’ve managed to do a little better than the rest of the country, with the SurePayroll Small Business Scorecard showing year-over-year hiring down 0.9 percent in Chicago compared to -1.4 percent nationwide.
Want more to hang your hat on? We have fared better than other big cities over the last year. New York’s hiring is down 1.7 percent; Los Angeles 5.9 percent; San Francisco 3.9 percent; and Boston 3.0 percent.
Still, we’re a world class city. We want to do better. We want to be known as a place to go when you want to start a company or move your business.
We’ve made positive steps. The mayor has moved to cut red tape for businesses and wants to appoint a small business czar for the first time. The Chicago Broadband Challenge aims to up Internet speeds for startups, schools, libraries and neighborhoods. We have great organizations like 1871, Built in Chicago and World Business Chicago that promote our businesses.
Yet we haven’t seen much in the way of results. Chicago seems to go as the economy goes and our Scorecard survey this month tells us there’s still concern and uncertainty. Only 60 percent of small business owners said they were optimistic about the small business economy in November, down eight points from October. Remember, during good times, optimism is usually up around 80 percent.
It’s been a year filled with uncertainty, much of it surrounding the presidential election, but even with that settled, 61 percent of small business owners tell us they’re not feeling any more confident the government will avoid the fiscal cliff.
Many are still being cautious, with 47 percent saying they’re taking a defensive approach on spending and will not give year-end bonuses. Another 14 percent say they will wait for these macro events (fiscal cliff, tax policy, Euro crisis, Iran, etc.) to play out.
My hope is that, having taken many of the right steps as a business community, Chicago will begin to move forward on hiring and growth in spite of what may or may not be happening with the rest of the country. Chicago should take this opportunity to grab the reins and lead the charge back to prosperity.
Michael Alter is president and CEO of SurePayroll, a small-business payroll services company based in Glenview. The company collects information on small-business hiring based on its nationwide database of SurePayroll software users; Mr. Alter comments on trendlines in the data each month here on Crain’s blog for Chicago entrepreneurs.
Follow SurePayroll and Michael Alter on Twitter.
Join Crain’s LinkedIn group for Chicago entrepreneurs. And stay on top of Chicago business with Crain’s free daily e-newsletters.
Chicago is a great product — it needs a great marketing campaign
By Michael Alter
As the country goes, so goes Chicago. That’s what the general economic picture for small businesses has looked like this year. We’ve had some promising signs and are starting to make some crucial steps, but essentially our hiring numbers have been right in line with the rest of the nation. The mayor has moved jobs into the city, which is great, but many of them have come from the surrounding suburbs that are already part of the Chicago metro area.
According to our SurePayroll Small Business Scorecard, year-over-year hiring is down 1.5 percent nationally, and Chicago’s hiring is down 1.3 percent. October told a similar story, with the nation’s small-business hiring down 0.1 percent and Chicago’s being flat.
We need to do better, and we’ve shown our intentions to do so with the mayor’s latest budget, which would greatly reduce the red tape small businesses have to cut through. Another plus: innovative organizations like 1871 acting as a bastion for startups.
Not to mention that we’re a world-class city to begin with.
So why aren’t we outpacing the rest of the country? Part of the reason is that a great product can’t really flourish unless it has great marketing behind it. You have to get your message out there. Apple’s products are innovative and unique, but their advertising and marketing are just as good.
This will take time, no doubt, but Chicago needs to ask itself, what is our marketing plan? How are we going to tell entrepreneurs in New York and California that this is the best city for your business?
Just bringing people from the suburbs to the city is a zero-sum game. You’re just rearranging the furniture. I’d call for an aggressive plan that aims to attract people from out of state and even from around the globe.
World Business Chicago is one such organization that aims to connect us with the rest of the world. Let’s turbocharge its efforts with funding to show that we’re different than we were a few years ago, and perhaps better in some ways than other business hubs.
Sure, New York is known as the center of the financial world and Silicon Valley is the home base of the technology field. But they’re also places where living and real estate expenses are through the roof.
The Chicago area is a place where you can raise a family, have a home and run a successful business. We know this. But we have to make sure the rest of the world does, too.
Michael Alter is president and CEO of SurePayroll, a small-business payroll-services company based in Glenview. The company collects information on small-business hiring based on its nationwide database of SurePayroll software users; Mr. Alter comments on trendlines in the data each month here on Crain’s blog for Chicago entrepreneurs.
Follow SurePayroll and Michael Alter on Twitter.
Join Crain’s LinkedIn group for Chicago entrepreneurs. And stay on top of Chicago business with Crain’s free daily e-newsletters.
Look before you leap: 5 things to think about before buying a biz
By George Deeb
Sure, you can build a business from scratch. But sometimes, the quickest path to entrepreneurship is to buy an existing enterprise.
There are many reasons why it may make sense to buy a business: to acquire technology or other assets, patents, or a revenue stream or client base. Or even, to simply take out a potentially competitive long-term threat.
Here’s how to:
1) Identify targets
2) Approach targets
3) Scope out warning signs to look for during due diligence
4) Value target companies, and
5) Structure the deal
My guess is you most likely have a target in mind if you are reading this post. But, if not, there are many places to look for prospective targets. Most industry associations have lists of key companies in their industry. Many journalists or bloggers have specific industry or startup focus, and they may know about various players in the space. As do various investment bankers, many of whom typically have a specific industry focus. So, use Google to track down who these key players are — they can point you in the right direction. In addition, there are several websites that advertise companies for sale by industry, including BusinessesForSale.com, BizQuest and BizBuySell.com, to name a few.
When you have found a target, how you approach them will go a long way toward increasing your odds of getting to the finish line. Sometimes it makes sense to approach a business owner directly, and other times it makes sense to approach him or her through a third party intermediary. The latter is better with highly competitive businesses or with executives who may not present well on a first call. And, when you do approach targets directly, I recommend not jumping right into merger discussions. This is all about building up a relationship and comfort for the target company. So I like to start with “potential partner” discussions, that ultimately evolve into “potential merger” discussions down the road. And, worth mentioning, the word “merger” sounds less threatening than “acquisition” for the target who is not quite ready to let go the reins.
During due diligence of the target company, make sure you have your lawyer send over a detailed information request list, which could include review of: (i) all company financial statements, historical and projected; (ii) all company ownership history and shareholder records; (iii) list of all known assets of the business; (iv) a list of all known liabilities of the business, or its shareholders; (v) a list of all current and past employees by title, including resumes;(vi) a list of all contracts of the business, and (vii) a list of all intellectual property, to name a few. These schedules will become the basis of any representations or warranties made by the seller in the closing documents. But, more important than anything, make sure you trust the people you are “getting in bed” with. So, make sure there is a good personality fit, a good skill fit and a good trust factor with the selling company and their shareholders. Call their trade and personal references as a critical step during due diligence.
In terms of valuing a target business, the methodologies are no different than how you would value your own startup business with prospective investors, which we discussed a few weeks back. So, please re-read that post for the details. But, with a merger, there is one additional technique which can be used, which is a “relative contribution analysis”. The relative contribution could relate to revenues or profits or website visitors or customers or whatever other metric the two companies can agree properly value their relative contributions. So, let’s say the acquiring business has $1 million of revenues and the target business has $500,000 of revenues. In this example, Newco could be owned 66.7% by the acquiring company and 33.3% by the target company, using this methodology.
But, if you do not like what the relative contribution method has to say, or if you don’t want any outside shareholders in Newco, cash will be your primary currency using one of the techniques discussed in that previous post. Beyond making the cash or equity acquisition decision, other structural considerations include the following. The most important is deciding between an “equity purchase” or an “asset purchase”. The latter is preferred, as it leaves all the liabilities and other “skeletons in the closet” with the target company’s shareholders, and do not transfer to Newco.
The timing of payments is another consideration. If you don’t have all the cash day one, you can structure payments over time if the seller is willing to take a seller’s note from the buyer at closing. Or, if you cannot agree on upfront valuation, you can put earn-out mechanisms in place, to get the target future upside payments if certain projection thresholds are met. But, earn-outs are complicated to write for both the buyer and the seller, so get good legal advice here.
The other structural consideration is making sure the seller gives the buyer proper representations and warranties (from both the company and their underlying shareholders, individually and collectively), to make sure there are refunds to the buyer if anything was not delivered as promised after closing. And, don’t forget to make sure the target company is delivered to you with an adequate amount of working capital, in line with historical levels.
At the end of the day, there are a lot of things that go wrong with acquisitions, and very few go perfectly to plan. So, be conservative in your forecasts, and consider haircuting target revenues by 50% as a cushion, especially if the “entrepreneurial fire” of the target’s CEO are not going to be a part of Newco. And, before going down this road in the first place, make sure you have done a complete “buy vs. build” analysis for this decision. As, it may be cheaper to ultimately build the solution yourself, and not have to deal with any of the business combination or cultural integration issues of a merger or acquisition. Proceed only with caution here, to not upset the apple cart.
This is too complicated a topic to detail in a simple post, so get a good lawyer to help you here.
George Deeb is a managing partner at Red Rocket Ventures, a Chicago-based startup consulting and fundraising firm with expertise in advising Internet-related businesses. More of George’s startup lessons can be read at “101 Startup Lessons — An Entrepreneur’s Handbook.”
George’s posts appear on Crain’s blog for Chicago entrepreneurs on Fridays.
Follow George on Twitter at @georgedeeb.
Join Crain’s LinkedIn group for Chicago entrepreneurs. And stay on top of Chicago business with Crain’s free daily e-newsletters.
Goldman’s big small-biz push, law school for entrepreneurs and more
Crain’s brings you weekly news of seminars, networking events, awards dinners, contests and courses of interest to Chicago-area entrepreneurs. Send your event announcements to smallbizcalendar@gmail.com
EVENTS JUST ANNOUNCED
Tuesday, Oct. 9
Webinar: Grow Your Business With WBDC
Get an overview of programs and services offered by Women’s Business Development Center in Chicago office, online and throughout our nine-state Midwestern region.
When: Noon-1 p.m.
Cost: Free
Register
~~~~~
Tuesday, Oct. 9
Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Program Orientation
This practical business management education program helps small-business owners develop the skills they need to grow their companies.
When: 6:30-8 p.m.
Place: Harold Washington College, 30 E. Lake St., Room 102 Map
RSVP
~~~~~
Wednesday, Oct 17
Franchising: It’s Not Just Burgers and Fries
Open your eyes to the vast land of opportunity franchise ownership represents, the myriad business models, concepts and licenses to choose from, and the skill sets and capital you will need to get started.
When: 5-7 p.m.
Place: SCORE/SBA, 500 W. Madison St., Suite 1150 Map
Cost: $30-$40
Register
~~~~~
Tuesday, Oct. 16
5 Secrets of Successful Branding
Learn how to think like your consumers and emotionally fine-tune your image and approach to effectively relate to any audience.
When: 6:30-8 p.m.
Place: Enerspace Chicago, 412a N. Carpenter St., Suite 301 Map
Cost: $20
Register
~~~~~
Wednesday, Oct. 17
How to Obtain a Mobile Food Dispenser/Preparer License
Do you want to run a food truck in Chicago? Learn how to get licensed and other operational requirements at this workshop.
When: 3-4:30 p.m.
Place: Chicago Department of Business Affairs, 121 N. LaSalle St., Room 805 Map
Cost: Free
Information or 312.744.5344
~~~~~
Friday, Oct. 19
Tax Rules for the Self-Employed and Small Business Owners
Learn about when you must file a tax return, make estimated tax payments, what constitutes taxable income, deducting business expenses and record keeping.
When: 9-10:30 a.m.
Place: Chicago Department of Business Affairs, 121 N. LaSalle St., Room 805 Map
Cost: Free
Information or 312.744.5344
~~~~~
Tuesday, Oct. 23
Law School for Entrepreneurs
Quick and dirty lessons on entity selection, partnership and shareholder agreements, leases, issues in employment, nondisclosure agreements, other contracts, tax issues and personal estate planning and asset protection.
When: 6-8 p.m.
Place: Michigan Plaza, 205 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 2500 Map
Cost: $20
Register
~~~~~
Thursday, Nov. 1
The ABCs of Starting a Business
Learn the steps you should take to start and run a business with experts who will assess your prospects, give you initial direction and inspire you to move forward.
When: 8:45 a.m.-noon
Place: SCORE/SBA, 500 W. Madison St., Suite 1150 Map
Cost: $40-$50
Register
~~~~~
Saturday, Nov. 3
Innovating Social Change Conference
Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management presents “Profit and Purpose: A 360° View on Stakeholder Engagement” featuring visionaries who are leveraging business potential to bring about social change.
When: 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Place: Allen Center, 2169 Campus Drive, Evanston Map
Cost: $25-$12
Register
~~~~~
Monday, Nov. 5
How to Run a Kickstarter Campaign
Using analytics and digital marketing expertise, presenter Aalap Shah of SoMe Digital Media LLC will demonstrate tips for setting and hitting fundraising goals.
When: 5-7 p.m.
Place: Illinois Small Business Development Center at UIC, 815 W. Van Buren St., Suite 400 Map
Cost: Free
Register
~~~~~
Friday, Nov. 9
Business Plan: A Roadmap to You, Necessary for Loans
This workshop covers the essential elements of business plan development: setting goals and objectives, preparing marketing and financial plans, and defining action steps to attain appropriate goals.
When: 8:45 a.m.-noon
Place: SCORE/SBA Office, 500 W. Madison Ave., Suite 1150 Map
Cost: $40-$50
Register
~~~~~
Thursday, Dec. 6.
Social Media: Experts in Residence with Aalap Shah
Aalap Shah is an entrepreneur with experience in creating engaging and viral marketing campaigns and strategies for businesses to drive traffic and revenue to their online and physical sales channels. Program offers 30-minute one-on-one discussion about ideas, advice and business development.
When: 3:30-5:30 p.m.
Place: Illinois Small Business Development Center at UIC, 815 W. Van Buren St., Suite 400 Map
Cost: Free
Register
EVENTS THIS WEEK
Monday, Oct. 8
The Art of Selling Without Really Selling
Presenter Jim Sheehan of Sales Results, Inc., provide tips on how to improve your revenue.
When: 7-9 p.m.
Place: Schaumburg Township District Library, Central Library, Rasmussen North, 130 S. Roselle Road, Schaumburg
Cost: Free
Register
Monday, Oct. 8.
Cage-Free Guide to Starting a Company
Students will first learn about how to select the right business entity. We’ll get into the nitty-gritty details of how to decipher between LLC and Inc., and learn which title is right for your budding business.
When: 6-7:30 p.m.
Place: Michigan Plaza, 205 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 2500 Map
Cost: $20
Register
~~~~~
Monday, Oct. 8
How to Form Your Own Corporation or LLC
CPA Clint Costa of Harrison & Held will help you learn how to pick the right business entity and how to save money as you establish yourself and become recognized as a business by the state.
When: 6-7:30 p.m.
Place: Michigan Plaza, 205 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 2500 Map
Cost: $20
Register
~~~~~
Tuesday, Oct. 9
Entrepreneurs Unpluggd: Recognizing and Capitalizing on Opportunities
Emerson Spartz, founder and CEO of SpartzMedia; Matt Matros, founder and CEO of Protein Bar; and Jill Salzman, founder and CEO of Founding Moms, discuss their startup ideas, how they recognized the potential of their companies and executing the first steps to growth.
When: 6-9 p.m.
Place: Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division St. Map
Cost: $20-$30
Register
~~~~~
Tuesday, Oct. 9
Taking Control of Your Website With WordPress
WordPress developer Becky Davis will teach you about the power of this web platform and how it can benefit your business.
When: 8:45 a.m.-noon
Place: SCORE/SBA, 50 W. Madison St., Suite 1150 Map
Cost: $50, $60
Register/information
~~~~~
Wednesday, Oct. 10
How to Write a Business Plan
John Noel of the Illinois Small Business Development Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago gives an overview on the elements of business plans and how to properly produce one.
When: 3-4:30 p.m.
Place: Chicago Department of Business Affairs, 121 N. LaSalle St., Room 805 Map
Cost: Free
Information or 312.744.5344
~~~~~
Wednesday, Oct. 10
Export Basics
Class will discuss determining a product’s export potential, assessing a company’s export readiness and developing an export plan and strategy. Presentation by E. Nystrom, Illinois SBDC.
When: 9 a.m.-noon
Place: College of Lake County, 19351 W. Washington St., Room T326, Grayslake Map
Cost: $50
Register
~~~~~
Wednesday, Oct. 10
Export Basics
Class, sponsored by the Illinois SBDC at College of Lake County, will discuss determining a product’s export potential, assessing a company’s export readiness and developing an export plan and strategy.
When 9 a.m.-noon
Place: College of Lake County, 19351 W. Washington St., Room T326, Grayslake Map
Cost: $50
Information
~~~~~
Wednesday, Oct. 10
Business Plan Basics
Learn the requirements to start a business and the resources available to support a new venture. Topics include: business plan preparation, market research, legal structures, and financial plan.
When: 3-4:30 p.m.
Place: Chicago City Hall, 121 N. LaSalle St., Room 805 Map
Cost: Free
Information
~~~~~
Thursday, Oct. 11
Spotlight on Entrepreneurial Opportunities for Baby Boomers
Center for Productive Longevity program to empower more people to live active, engaged and productive lives in their later years and to inspire more people to become entrepreneurs by providing them with the resources and guidance they need to succeed.
When: 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Place: Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management, 2001 Sheridan Road, Evanston Map
Cost: $35
Register
~~~~~
Friday, Oct. 12
Technology 101 for Small Business
Laura Sanchez, CEO of SWATware, will teach you how to implement some of IT’s best practices for your company and how to avoid mistakes many small businesses make regarding IT governance.
When: 9:20-11 a.m.
Place: Chicago Department of Business Affairs, 121 N. LaSalle St., Room 805 Map
Cost: Free
Information or 312.744.5344
~~~~~
Monday, Oct. 15
Global Partnership USA 2012 in Chicago
Explore and develop comprehensive business partnerships with Korean manufacturers at this forum, networking luncheon and one-on-one meetings sponsored by Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency.
When: 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
Place: Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, 5555 N. River Road, Rosemont Map
Cost: Free
Register
~~~~~
Tuesday, Oct. 16
Big Data Means Big Opportunities
Wondering exactly what “big data” is and what it means for your business? Find out and hear from a Chicagoland panel real-life examples of how big data is transforming the business landscape.
When: 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Place: Emmi Solutions, 300 W. Adams St., Suite 1200 Map
Cost: $10-40
Register
~~~~~
Tuesday, Oct. 16
Built In Chicago Launch
Recently launched startups present their companies in front of 350 investors, fellow entrepreneurs and startup enthusiasts.
When: 6-9 p.m.
Place: Rockit Bar & Grill, 22 W. Hubbard St. Map
Cost: $10-$20
Register
~~~~~
Wednesday, Oct. 17
How to Sell to Chinese Consumers Through E-Commerce
International Trade Association of Greater Chicago presents Frank Lavin, CEO, Export Now.
When: 5:30 p.m.
Place: Rosewood Restaurant, 9421 W. Higgins Road, Rosemont Map
Cost: $50-$65
Info/Registration: rsvp@itagc.org
~~~~~
Thursday, Oct. 18
Expanding Horizons for Small Businesses Entering International Markets
Learn how hundreds of American small businesses have used Overseas Private Investment Corp. finance and insurance products to gain access to emerging markets overseas.
When: 7:30 a.m.-4:45 p.m.
Place: Embassy Suites Rosemont, 5500 N. River Road, Rosemont Map
Cost: $50
Info/Register
~~~~~
Thursday, Oct. 18
Financing Your Small Business
This seminar will help you prepare to approach a commercial lender for a small-business loan. Startups and entrepreneurs welcome.
When: 6-8 p.m.
Place: North Side Community Federal Credit Union,1011 W. Lawrence Ave.Map
Cost: Free
Register: info@northsidecommunityfcu.org
~~~~~
Thursday, Oct. 18
Making Competitors Irrelevant
David Aaker, author and vice chairman of Prophet, discusses his latest book: “Brand Relevance: Making Competitors Irrelevant.”
When: 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Place: The Standard Club, 320 S. Plymouth Court Map
Cost: $45-$65
Register
~~~~~
Thursday, Oct. 18
Expanding Horizons: Workshop for Small Businesses Entering International Markets
Learn how hundreds of American small businesses have used Overseas Private Investment Corporation finance and insurance products to gain access to emerging markets overseas.
When: 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Place: Embassy Suites Chicago-O’Hare/Rosemont, 5500 N. River Road, Rosemont Map
Cost: $50
Register
~~~~~
Monday, Oct. 22
Chicago Innovation Awards
An event to celebrate the creative spirit of the Chicago region by honoring its most innovative new products and services.
When: 5-8:30 p.m.
Place: Harris Theater, 205 E. Randolph Drive
Cost: $25
Register
~~~~~
Monday, Oct. 22
Startup Grind Chicago
Startup Grind is an event series and website designed to help educate, inspire and connect local entrepreneurs. Ross Kimbarovsky, co-founder of CrowdSpring, will share his experiences.
When: 7-9 p.m.
Place: 1871, 222 Merchandise Mart Plaza, 12th floor Map
Cost: $10-$30
Register
~~~~~
Tuesday, Oct. 23
Pocketbook-Friendly Publicity: Free PR for Your Business
This workshop will teach you ways to get great publicity without the publicist. Learn how to make a pitch, follow up with media professionals and use social media to accomplish PR tasks.
When: 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
Place: Enerspace, 1046 W. Kinzie St.Map
Cost: $45
Register
~~~~~
Thursday, Oct. 25
The Basics of Search Engine Optimization
Web marketing guru Rod Holmes from Chicago Style SEO explains the basics of what to do (and what not to do) to be recognized by the major search engines.
When: 9-10:30 a.m.
Place: Industrial Council of Nearwest Chicago, 320 N. Damen Ave., first floor Map
Cost: Free
Register
~~~~~
Monday, Oct. 29
The Power of Email Marketing: Leveraging Social Media
Tom Casale, founder of Simplified Solutions, provide a concise but comprehensive overview of how easy it is to create and send professional-looking email marketing combined with great social marketing efforts.
When: 8:45 a.m.-noon
Place: SCORE/SBA, 50 W. Madison St., Suite 1150 Map
Cost: $50, $60
Register/Information
~~~~~
Tuesday, Oct. 30
TechnoriPitch
A monthly showcase of innovative startups pitching their latest technologies before a crowd of entrepreneurs, designers, tech companies, investors and tech enthusiasts.
When: 6:30-8:45 p.m.
Place: Chase Auditorium, 10 S. Dearborn St., lower lobby Map
Cost: $10-$20
Register/Info
~~~~~
Wednesday, Oct. 31
Echelon Leadership Summit
We all lead from where we are currently. Improve your leadership and take yourself to the next level.
When: 7:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
Place: NIU Naperville Conference Center, 1120 E. Diehl Road, Naperville Map
Cost: $99-$150
Register
~~~~~
Thursday, Nov. 1
Is Content Still King?
Joe Pulizzi, author, speaker and strategist for content marketing, presents a TED-style session on content generation and use.
When: 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Place: The Standard Club, 320 S. Plymouth Court Map
Cost: $45-$65
Register
~~~~~
Nov. 1-3
National Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization (CEO) Conference
Join more than 1,200 students, faculty, entrepreneurs and other entrepreneurial-minded individuals at this motivational event where 70 outstanding entrepreneurs and business leaders share their expertise and lessons.
Place: Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, 2233 S. Martin Luther King Drive Map
Information
~~~~~
Thursday, Nov. 1
Information Technology for Small Business
Catch phrases — “the cloud,” “SEO,” “VoIP” — can be confusing. Not sure where to start or what to do? Learn DIY tactics that can save you time and money. Presented by Seraph Technology Solutions.
When: 6-8 p.m.
Place: University of Chicago Law School, 1111 E. 60th St., Room V Map
Cost: Free
Register
~~~~~
Wednesdays, Nov. 7 -March 6
Entrepreneurship Primer
DePaul University faculty and experienced entrepreneurs present theories combining traditional MBA programs with the real-world entrepreneurial training needed for success.
When: 6-9 p.m.
Place: DePaul University, 14 E. Jackson Blvd., Chicago Map
Cost: $2,995
Register
~~~~~
Wednesday, Nov. 14
Starting a Business in Illinois
Learn the basic elements of starting a successful business including an overview of the business plan. The presenter offers a realistic view of the requirements to start a business and the resources available to support a new venture.
When: 4-6 p.m.
Place: Harold Washington Library, 400 S. State St., lower level theater room Map
Cost: Free
Register
~~~~~
Thursday, Nov. 15
Financing Your Small Business
This seminar will help you prepare to approach a commercial lender for a small-business loan. Startups and entrepreneurs welcome.
When: 6-8 p.m.
Place: North Side Community Federal Credit Union, 1011 W. Lawrence Ave.Map
Cost: Free
Register: info@northsidecommunityfcu.org
~~~~~
Tuesday, Nov. 17
10 Things Every Entrepreneur Must Know
This workshop led by Mike Sullivan will provide business insights a typical entrepreneur may have never considered, which may mean the difference between stunning success and abysmal failure.
When: 7-8:30 p.m.
Place: Wilmette Public Library, 1242 Wilmette Ave., Wilmette
Cost: Free
Register
~~~~~
Thursday, Nov. 29
The Basics of Pay-Per-Click Advertising
Rod Holmes from Chicago Style SEO gives some basic guidelines and answers questions on how to make your web advertising campaign a success.
When: 9-10:30 a.m.
Place: Industrial Council of Nearwest Chicago, 320 N. Damen Ave., first floor Map
Cost: Free
Register
~~~~~
Thursday, Dec. 6
Credit 101 for Small Business Owners
Get the basics of credit scores for small-business owners, including checking and understanding your credit report, fixing errors, and what you can do to build and improve your credit. Mike Cohen, Illinois SBDC at the Duman Entrepreneurship Center at JVS Chicago, presents.
When: 6-8 p.m.
Place: University of Chicago Law School, 1111 E. 60th St., Room V Map
Cost: Free
Register
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To add your event to Crain’s Small-biz Calendar, e-mail details to smallbizcalendar@gmail.com Connect with Crain’s via Facebook and Twitter. And stay on top of Chicago business with Crain’s free daily e-newsletters.
Goldman’s big small-biz push, law school for entrepreneurs and more
Crain’s brings you weekly news of seminars, networking events, awards dinners, contests and courses of interest to Chicago-area entrepreneurs. Send your event announcements to smallbizcalendar@gmail.com
EVENTS JUST ANNOUNCED
Tuesday, Oct. 9
Webinar: Grow Your Business With WBDC
Get an overview of programs and services offered by Women’s Business Development Center in Chicago office, online and throughout our nine-state Midwestern region.
When: Noon-1 p.m.
Cost: Free
Register
~~~~~
Tuesday, Oct. 9
Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Program Orientation
This practical business management education program helps small-business owners develop the skills they need to grow their companies.
When: 6:30-8 p.m.
Place: Harold Washington College, 30 E. Lake St., Room 102 Map
RSVP
~~~~~
Wednesday, Oct 17
Franchising: It’s Not Just Burgers and Fries
Open your eyes to the vast land of opportunity franchise ownership represents, the myriad business models, concepts and licenses to choose from, and the skill sets and capital you will need to get started.
When: 5-7 p.m.
Place: SCORE/SBA, 500 W. Madison St., Suite 1150 Map
Cost: $30-$40
Register
~~~~~
Tuesday, Oct. 16
5 Secrets of Successful Branding
Learn how to think like your consumers and emotionally fine-tune your image and approach to effectively relate to any audience.
When: 6:30-8 p.m.
Place: Enerspace Chicago, 412a N. Carpenter St., Suite 301 Map
Cost: $20
Register
~~~~~
Wednesday, Oct. 17
How to Obtain a Mobile Food Dispenser/Preparer License
Do you want to run a food truck in Chicago? Learn how to get licensed and other operational requirements at this workshop.
When: 3-4:30 p.m.
Place: Chicago Department of Business Affairs, 121 N. LaSalle St., Room 805 Map
Cost: Free
Information or 312.744.5344
~~~~~
Friday, Oct. 19
Tax Rules for the Self-Employed and Small Business Owners
Learn about when you must file a tax return, make estimated tax payments, what constitutes taxable income, deducting business expenses and record keeping.
When: 9-10:30 a.m.
Place: Chicago Department of Business Affairs, 121 N. LaSalle St., Room 805 Map
Cost: Free
Information or 312.744.5344
~~~~~
Tuesday, Oct. 23
Law School for Entrepreneurs
Quick and dirty lessons on entity selection, partnership and shareholder agreements, leases, issues in employment, nondisclosure agreements, other contracts, tax issues and personal estate planning and asset protection.
When: 6-8 p.m.
Place: Michigan Plaza, 205 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 2500 Map
Cost: $20
Register
~~~~~
Thursday, Nov. 1
The ABCs of Starting a Business
Learn the steps you should take to start and run a business with experts who will assess your prospects, give you initial direction and inspire you to move forward.
When: 8:45 a.m.-noon
Place: SCORE/SBA, 500 W. Madison St., Suite 1150 Map
Cost: $40-$50
Register
~~~~~
Saturday, Nov. 3
Innovating Social Change Conference
Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management presents “Profit and Purpose: A 360° View on Stakeholder Engagement” featuring visionaries who are leveraging business potential to bring about social change.
When: 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Place: Allen Center, 2169 Campus Drive, Evanston Map
Cost: $25-$12
Register
~~~~~
Monday, Nov. 5
How to Run a Kickstarter Campaign
Using analytics and digital marketing expertise, presenter Aalap Shah of SoMe Digital Media LLC will demonstrate tips for setting and hitting fundraising goals.
When: 5-7 p.m.
Place: Illinois Small Business Development Center at UIC, 815 W. Van Buren St., Suite 400 Map
Cost: Free
Register
~~~~~
Friday, Nov. 9
Business Plan: A Roadmap to You, Necessary for Loans
This workshop covers the essential elements of business plan development: setting goals and objectives, preparing marketing and financial plans, and defining action steps to attain appropriate goals.
When: 8:45 a.m.-noon
Place: SCORE/SBA Office, 500 W. Madison Ave., Suite 1150 Map
Cost: $40-$50
Register
~~~~~
Thursday, Dec. 6.
Social Media: Experts in Residence with Aalap Shah
Aalap Shah is an entrepreneur with experience in creating engaging and viral marketing campaigns and strategies for businesses to drive traffic and revenue to their online and physical sales channels. Program offers 30-minute one-on-one discussion about ideas, advice and business development.
When: 3:30-5:30 p.m.
Place: Illinois Small Business Development Center at UIC, 815 W. Van Buren St., Suite 400 Map
Cost: Free
Register
EVENTS THIS WEEK
Monday, Oct. 8
The Art of Selling Without Really Selling
Presenter Jim Sheehan of Sales Results, Inc., provide tips on how to improve your revenue.
When: 7-9 p.m.
Place: Schaumburg Township District Library, Central Library, Rasmussen North, 130 S. Roselle Road, Schaumburg
Cost: Free
Register
Monday, Oct. 8.
Cage-Free Guide to Starting a Company
Students will first learn about how to select the right business entity. We’ll get into the nitty-gritty details of how to decipher between LLC and Inc., and learn which title is right for your budding business.
When: 6-7:30 p.m.
Place: Michigan Plaza, 205 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 2500 Map
Cost: $20
Register
~~~~~
Monday, Oct. 8
How to Form Your Own Corporation or LLC
CPA Clint Costa of Harrison & Held will help you learn how to pick the right business entity and how to save money as you establish yourself and become recognized as a business by the state.
When: 6-7:30 p.m.
Place: Michigan Plaza, 205 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 2500 Map
Cost: $20
Register
~~~~~
Tuesday, Oct. 9
Entrepreneurs Unpluggd: Recognizing and Capitalizing on Opportunities
Emerson Spartz, founder and CEO of SpartzMedia; Matt Matros, founder and CEO of Protein Bar; and Jill Salzman, founder and CEO of Founding Moms, discuss their startup ideas, how they recognized the potential of their companies and executing the first steps to growth.
When: 6-9 p.m.
Place: Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division St. Map
Cost: $20-$30
Register
~~~~~
Tuesday, Oct. 9
Taking Control of Your Website With WordPress
WordPress developer Becky Davis will teach you about the power of this web platform and how it can benefit your business.
When: 8:45 a.m.-noon
Place: SCORE/SBA, 50 W. Madison St., Suite 1150 Map
Cost: $50, $60
Register/information
~~~~~
Wednesday, Oct. 10
How to Write a Business Plan
John Noel of the Illinois Small Business Development Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago gives an overview on the elements of business plans and how to properly produce one.
When: 3-4:30 p.m.
Place: Chicago Department of Business Affairs, 121 N. LaSalle St., Room 805 Map
Cost: Free
Information or 312.744.5344
~~~~~
Wednesday, Oct. 10
Export Basics
Class will discuss determining a product’s export potential, assessing a company’s export readiness and developing an export plan and strategy. Presentation by E. Nystrom, Illinois SBDC.
When: 9 a.m.-noon
Place: College of Lake County, 19351 W. Washington St., Room T326, Grayslake Map
Cost: $50
Register
~~~~~
Wednesday, Oct. 10
Export Basics
Class, sponsored by the Illinois SBDC at College of Lake County, will discuss determining a product’s export potential, assessing a company’s export readiness and developing an export plan and strategy.
When 9 a.m.-noon
Place: College of Lake County, 19351 W. Washington St., Room T326, Grayslake Map
Cost: $50
Information
~~~~~
Wednesday, Oct. 10
Business Plan Basics
Learn the requirements to start a business and the resources available to support a new venture. Topics include: business plan preparation, market research, legal structures, and financial plan.
When: 3-4:30 p.m.
Place: Chicago City Hall, 121 N. LaSalle St., Room 805 Map
Cost: Free
Information
~~~~~
Thursday, Oct. 11
Spotlight on Entrepreneurial Opportunities for Baby Boomers
Center for Productive Longevity program to empower more people to live active, engaged and productive lives in their later years and to inspire more people to become entrepreneurs by providing them with the resources and guidance they need to succeed.
When: 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Place: Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management, 2001 Sheridan Road, Evanston Map
Cost: $35
Register
~~~~~
Friday, Oct. 12
Technology 101 for Small Business
Laura Sanchez, CEO of SWATware, will teach you how to implement some of IT’s best practices for your company and how to avoid mistakes many small businesses make regarding IT governance.
When: 9:20-11 a.m.
Place: Chicago Department of Business Affairs, 121 N. LaSalle St., Room 805 Map
Cost: Free
Information or 312.744.5344
~~~~~
Monday, Oct. 15
Global Partnership USA 2012 in Chicago
Explore and develop comprehensive business partnerships with Korean manufacturers at this forum, networking luncheon and one-on-one meetings sponsored by Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency.
When: 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
Place: Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, 5555 N. River Road, Rosemont Map
Cost: Free
Register
~~~~~
Tuesday, Oct. 16
Big Data Means Big Opportunities
Wondering exactly what “big data” is and what it means for your business? Find out and hear from a Chicagoland panel real-life examples of how big data is transforming the business landscape.
When: 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Place: Emmi Solutions, 300 W. Adams St., Suite 1200 Map
Cost: $10-40
Register
~~~~~
Tuesday, Oct. 16
Built In Chicago Launch
Recently launched startups present their companies in front of 350 investors, fellow entrepreneurs and startup enthusiasts.
When: 6-9 p.m.
Place: Rockit Bar & Grill, 22 W. Hubbard St. Map
Cost: $10-$20
Register
~~~~~
Wednesday, Oct. 17
How to Sell to Chinese Consumers Through E-Commerce
International Trade Association of Greater Chicago presents Frank Lavin, CEO, Export Now.
When: 5:30 p.m.
Place: Rosewood Restaurant, 9421 W. Higgins Road, Rosemont Map
Cost: $50-$65
Info/Registration: rsvp@itagc.org
~~~~~
Thursday, Oct. 18
Expanding Horizons for Small Businesses Entering International Markets
Learn how hundreds of American small businesses have used Overseas Private Investment Corp. finance and insurance products to gain access to emerging markets overseas.
When: 7:30 a.m.-4:45 p.m.
Place: Embassy Suites Rosemont, 5500 N. River Road, Rosemont Map
Cost: $50
Info/Register
~~~~~
Thursday, Oct. 18
Financing Your Small Business
This seminar will help you prepare to approach a commercial lender for a small-business loan. Startups and entrepreneurs welcome.
When: 6-8 p.m.
Place: North Side Community Federal Credit Union,1011 W. Lawrence Ave.Map
Cost: Free
Register: info@northsidecommunityfcu.org
~~~~~
Thursday, Oct. 18
Making Competitors Irrelevant
David Aaker, author and vice chairman of Prophet, discusses his latest book: “Brand Relevance: Making Competitors Irrelevant.”
When: 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Place: The Standard Club, 320 S. Plymouth Court Map
Cost: $45-$65
Register
~~~~~
Thursday, Oct. 18
Expanding Horizons: Workshop for Small Businesses Entering International Markets
Learn how hundreds of American small businesses have used Overseas Private Investment Corporation finance and insurance products to gain access to emerging markets overseas.
When: 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Place: Embassy Suites Chicago-O’Hare/Rosemont, 5500 N. River Road, Rosemont Map
Cost: $50
Register
~~~~~
Monday, Oct. 22
Chicago Innovation Awards
An event to celebrate the creative spirit of the Chicago region by honoring its most innovative new products and services.
When: 5-8:30 p.m.
Place: Harris Theater, 205 E. Randolph Drive
Cost: $25
Register
~~~~~
Monday, Oct. 22
Startup Grind Chicago
Startup Grind is an event series and website designed to help educate, inspire and connect local entrepreneurs. Ross Kimbarovsky, co-founder of CrowdSpring, will share his experiences.
When: 7-9 p.m.
Place: 1871, 222 Merchandise Mart Plaza, 12th floor Map
Cost: $10-$30
Register
~~~~~
Tuesday, Oct. 23
Pocketbook-Friendly Publicity: Free PR for Your Business
This workshop will teach you ways to get great publicity without the publicist. Learn how to make a pitch, follow up with media professionals and use social media to accomplish PR tasks.
When: 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
Place: Enerspace, 1046 W. Kinzie St.Map
Cost: $45
Register
~~~~~
Thursday, Oct. 25
The Basics of Search Engine Optimization
Web marketing guru Rod Holmes from Chicago Style SEO explains the basics of what to do (and what not to do) to be recognized by the major search engines.
When: 9-10:30 a.m.
Place: Industrial Council of Nearwest Chicago, 320 N. Damen Ave., first floor Map
Cost: Free
Register
~~~~~
Monday, Oct. 29
The Power of Email Marketing: Leveraging Social Media
Tom Casale, founder of Simplified Solutions, provide a concise but comprehensive overview of how easy it is to create and send professional-looking email marketing combined with great social marketing efforts.
When: 8:45 a.m.-noon
Place: SCORE/SBA, 50 W. Madison St., Suite 1150 Map
Cost: $50, $60
Register/Information
~~~~~
Tuesday, Oct. 30
TechnoriPitch
A monthly showcase of innovative startups pitching their latest technologies before a crowd of entrepreneurs, designers, tech companies, investors and tech enthusiasts.
When: 6:30-8:45 p.m.
Place: Chase Auditorium, 10 S. Dearborn St., lower lobby Map
Cost: $10-$20
Register/Info
~~~~~
Wednesday, Oct. 31
Echelon Leadership Summit
We all lead from where we are currently. Improve your leadership and take yourself to the next level.
When: 7:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
Place: NIU Naperville Conference Center, 1120 E. Diehl Road, Naperville Map
Cost: $99-$150
Register
~~~~~
Thursday, Nov. 1
Is Content Still King?
Joe Pulizzi, author, speaker and strategist for content marketing, presents a TED-style session on content generation and use.
When: 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Place: The Standard Club, 320 S. Plymouth Court Map
Cost: $45-$65
Register
~~~~~
Nov. 1-3
National Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization (CEO) Conference
Join more than 1,200 students, faculty, entrepreneurs and other entrepreneurial-minded individuals at this motivational event where 70 outstanding entrepreneurs and business leaders share their expertise and lessons.
Place: Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, 2233 S. Martin Luther King Drive Map
Information
~~~~~
Thursday, Nov. 1
Information Technology for Small Business
Catch phrases — “the cloud,” “SEO,” “VoIP” — can be confusing. Not sure where to start or what to do? Learn DIY tactics that can save you time and money. Presented by Seraph Technology Solutions.
When: 6-8 p.m.
Place: University of Chicago Law School, 1111 E. 60th St., Room V Map
Cost: Free
Register
~~~~~
Wednesdays, Nov. 7 -March 6
Entrepreneurship Primer
DePaul University faculty and experienced entrepreneurs present theories combining traditional MBA programs with the real-world entrepreneurial training needed for success.
When: 6-9 p.m.
Place: DePaul University, 14 E. Jackson Blvd., Chicago Map
Cost: $2,995
Register
~~~~~
Wednesday, Nov. 14
Starting a Business in Illinois
Learn the basic elements of starting a successful business including an overview of the business plan. The presenter offers a realistic view of the requirements to start a business and the resources available to support a new venture.
When: 4-6 p.m.
Place: Harold Washington Library, 400 S. State St., lower level theater room Map
Cost: Free
Register
~~~~~
Thursday, Nov. 15
Financing Your Small Business
This seminar will help you prepare to approach a commercial lender for a small-business loan. Startups and entrepreneurs welcome.
When: 6-8 p.m.
Place: North Side Community Federal Credit Union, 1011 W. Lawrence Ave.Map
Cost: Free
Register: info@northsidecommunityfcu.org
~~~~~
Tuesday, Nov. 17
10 Things Every Entrepreneur Must Know
This workshop led by Mike Sullivan will provide business insights a typical entrepreneur may have never considered, which may mean the difference between stunning success and abysmal failure.
When: 7-8:30 p.m.
Place: Wilmette Public Library, 1242 Wilmette Ave., Wilmette
Cost: Free
Register
~~~~~
Thursday, Nov. 29
The Basics of Pay-Per-Click Advertising
Rod Holmes from Chicago Style SEO gives some basic guidelines and answers questions on how to make your web advertising campaign a success.
When: 9-10:30 a.m.
Place: Industrial Council of Nearwest Chicago, 320 N. Damen Ave., first floor Map
Cost: Free
Register
~~~~~
Thursday, Dec. 6
Credit 101 for Small Business Owners
Get the basics of credit scores for small-business owners, including checking and understanding your credit report, fixing errors, and what you can do to build and improve your credit. Mike Cohen, Illinois SBDC at the Duman Entrepreneurship Center at JVS Chicago, presents.
When: 6-8 p.m.
Place: University of Chicago Law School, 1111 E. 60th St., Room V Map
Cost: Free
Register
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To add your event to Crain’s Small-biz Calendar, e-mail details to smallbizcalendar@gmail.com Connect with Crain’s via Facebook and Twitter. And stay on top of Chicago business with Crain’s free daily e-newsletters.
Goldman’s big small-biz push, law school for entrepreneurs and more
Crain’s brings you weekly news of seminars, networking events, awards dinners, contests and courses of interest to Chicago-area entrepreneurs. Send your event announcements to smallbizcalendar@gmail.com
EVENTS JUST ANNOUNCED
Tuesday, Oct. 9
Webinar: Grow Your Business With WBDC
Get an overview of programs and services offered by Women’s Business Development Center in Chicago office, online and throughout our nine-state Midwestern region.
When: Noon-1 p.m.
Cost: Free
Register
~~~~~
Tuesday, Oct. 9
Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Program Orientation
This practical business management education program helps small-business owners develop the skills they need to grow their companies.
When: 6:30-8 p.m.
Place: Harold Washington College, 30 E. Lake St., Room 102 Map
RSVP
~~~~~
Wednesday, Oct 17
Franchising: It’s Not Just Burgers and Fries
Open your eyes to the vast land of opportunity franchise ownership represents, the myriad business models, concepts and licenses to choose from, and the skill sets and capital you will need to get started.
When: 5-7 p.m.
Place: SCORE/SBA, 500 W. Madison St., Suite 1150 Map
Cost: $30-$40
Register
~~~~~
Tuesday, Oct. 16
5 Secrets of Successful Branding
Learn how to think like your consumers and emotionally fine-tune your image and approach to effectively relate to any audience.
When: 6:30-8 p.m.
Place: Enerspace Chicago, 412a N. Carpenter St., Suite 301 Map
Cost: $20
Register
~~~~~
Wednesday, Oct. 17
How to Obtain a Mobile Food Dispenser/Preparer License
Do you want to run a food truck in Chicago? Learn how to get licensed and other operational requirements at this workshop.
When: 3-4:30 p.m.
Place: Chicago Department of Business Affairs, 121 N. LaSalle St., Room 805 Map
Cost: Free
Information or 312.744.5344
~~~~~
Friday, Oct. 19
Tax Rules for the Self-Employed and Small Business Owners
Learn about when you must file a tax return, make estimated tax payments, what constitutes taxable income, deducting business expenses and record keeping.
When: 9-10:30 a.m.
Place: Chicago Department of Business Affairs, 121 N. LaSalle St., Room 805 Map
Cost: Free
Information or 312.744.5344
~~~~~
Tuesday, Oct. 23
Law School for Entrepreneurs
Quick and dirty lessons on entity selection, partnership and shareholder agreements, leases, issues in employment, nondisclosure agreements, other contracts, tax issues and personal estate planning and asset protection.
When: 6-8 p.m.
Place: Michigan Plaza, 205 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 2500 Map
Cost: $20
Register
~~~~~
Thursday, Nov. 1
The ABCs of Starting a Business
Learn the steps you should take to start and run a business with experts who will assess your prospects, give you initial direction and inspire you to move forward.
When: 8:45 a.m.-noon
Place: SCORE/SBA, 500 W. Madison St., Suite 1150 Map
Cost: $40-$50
Register
~~~~~
Saturday, Nov. 3
Innovating Social Change Conference
Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management presents “Profit and Purpose: A 360° View on Stakeholder Engagement” featuring visionaries who are leveraging business potential to bring about social change.
When: 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Place: Allen Center, 2169 Campus Drive, Evanston Map
Cost: $25-$12
Register
~~~~~
Monday, Nov. 5
How to Run a Kickstarter Campaign
Using analytics and digital marketing expertise, presenter Aalap Shah of SoMe Digital Media LLC will demonstrate tips for setting and hitting fundraising goals.
When: 5-7 p.m.
Place: Illinois Small Business Development Center at UIC, 815 W. Van Buren St., Suite 400 Map
Cost: Free
Register
~~~~~
Friday, Nov. 9
Business Plan: A Roadmap to You, Necessary for Loans
This workshop covers the essential elements of business plan development: setting goals and objectives, preparing marketing and financial plans, and defining action steps to attain appropriate goals.
When: 8:45 a.m.-noon
Place: SCORE/SBA Office, 500 W. Madison Ave., Suite 1150 Map
Cost: $40-$50
Register
~~~~~
Thursday, Dec. 6.
Social Media: Experts in Residence with Aalap Shah
Aalap Shah is an entrepreneur with experience in creating engaging and viral marketing campaigns and strategies for businesses to drive traffic and revenue to their online and physical sales channels. Program offers 30-minute one-on-one discussion about ideas, advice and business development.
When: 3:30-5:30 p.m.
Place: Illinois Small Business Development Center at UIC, 815 W. Van Buren St., Suite 400 Map
Cost: Free
Register
EVENTS THIS WEEK
Monday, Oct. 8
The Art of Selling Without Really Selling
Presenter Jim Sheehan of Sales Results, Inc., provide tips on how to improve your revenue.
When: 7-9 p.m.
Place: Schaumburg Township District Library, Central Library, Rasmussen North, 130 S. Roselle Road, Schaumburg
Cost: Free
Register
Monday, Oct. 8.
Cage-Free Guide to Starting a Company
Students will first learn about how to select the right business entity. We’ll get into the nitty-gritty details of how to decipher between LLC and Inc., and learn which title is right for your budding business.
When: 6-7:30 p.m.
Place: Michigan Plaza, 205 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 2500 Map
Cost: $20
Register
~~~~~
Monday, Oct. 8
How to Form Your Own Corporation or LLC
CPA Clint Costa of Harrison & Held will help you learn how to pick the right business entity and how to save money as you establish yourself and become recognized as a business by the state.
When: 6-7:30 p.m.
Place: Michigan Plaza, 205 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 2500 Map
Cost: $20
Register
~~~~~
Tuesday, Oct. 9
Entrepreneurs Unpluggd: Recognizing and Capitalizing on Opportunities
Emerson Spartz, founder and CEO of SpartzMedia; Matt Matros, founder and CEO of Protein Bar; and Jill Salzman, founder and CEO of Founding Moms, discuss their startup ideas, how they recognized the potential of their companies and executing the first steps to growth.
When: 6-9 p.m.
Place: Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division St. Map
Cost: $20-$30
Register
~~~~~
Tuesday, Oct. 9
Taking Control of Your Website With WordPress
WordPress developer Becky Davis will teach you about the power of this web platform and how it can benefit your business.
When: 8:45 a.m.-noon
Place: SCORE/SBA, 50 W. Madison St., Suite 1150 Map
Cost: $50, $60
Register/information
~~~~~
Wednesday, Oct. 10
How to Write a Business Plan
John Noel of the Illinois Small Business Development Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago gives an overview on the elements of business plans and how to properly produce one.
When: 3-4:30 p.m.
Place: Chicago Department of Business Affairs, 121 N. LaSalle St., Room 805 Map
Cost: Free
Information or 312.744.5344
~~~~~
Wednesday, Oct. 10
Export Basics
Class will discuss determining a product’s export potential, assessing a company’s export readiness and developing an export plan and strategy. Presentation by E. Nystrom, Illinois SBDC.
When: 9 a.m.-noon
Place: College of Lake County, 19351 W. Washington St., Room T326, Grayslake Map
Cost: $50
Register
~~~~~
Wednesday, Oct. 10
Export Basics
Class, sponsored by the Illinois SBDC at College of Lake County, will discuss determining a product’s export potential, assessing a company’s export readiness and developing an export plan and strategy.
When 9 a.m.-noon
Place: College of Lake County, 19351 W. Washington St., Room T326, Grayslake Map
Cost: $50
Information
~~~~~
Wednesday, Oct. 10
Business Plan Basics
Learn the requirements to start a business and the resources available to support a new venture. Topics include: business plan preparation, market research, legal structures, and financial plan.
When: 3-4:30 p.m.
Place: Chicago City Hall, 121 N. LaSalle St., Room 805 Map
Cost: Free
Information
~~~~~
Thursday, Oct. 11
Spotlight on Entrepreneurial Opportunities for Baby Boomers
Center for Productive Longevity program to empower more people to live active, engaged and productive lives in their later years and to inspire more people to become entrepreneurs by providing them with the resources and guidance they need to succeed.
When: 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Place: Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management, 2001 Sheridan Road, Evanston Map
Cost: $35
Register
~~~~~
Friday, Oct. 12
Technology 101 for Small Business
Laura Sanchez, CEO of SWATware, will teach you how to implement some of IT’s best practices for your company and how to avoid mistakes many small businesses make regarding IT governance.
When: 9:20-11 a.m.
Place: Chicago Department of Business Affairs, 121 N. LaSalle St., Room 805 Map
Cost: Free
Information or 312.744.5344
~~~~~
Monday, Oct. 15
Global Partnership USA 2012 in Chicago
Explore and develop comprehensive business partnerships with Korean manufacturers at this forum, networking luncheon and one-on-one meetings sponsored by Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency.
When: 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
Place: Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, 5555 N. River Road, Rosemont Map
Cost: Free
Register
~~~~~
Tuesday, Oct. 16
Big Data Means Big Opportunities
Wondering exactly what “big data” is and what it means for your business? Find out and hear from a Chicagoland panel real-life examples of how big data is transforming the business landscape.
When: 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Place: Emmi Solutions, 300 W. Adams St., Suite 1200 Map
Cost: $10-40
Register
~~~~~
Tuesday, Oct. 16
Built In Chicago Launch
Recently launched startups present their companies in front of 350 investors, fellow entrepreneurs and startup enthusiasts.
When: 6-9 p.m.
Place: Rockit Bar & Grill, 22 W. Hubbard St. Map
Cost: $10-$20
Register
~~~~~
Wednesday, Oct. 17
How to Sell to Chinese Consumers Through E-Commerce
International Trade Association of Greater Chicago presents Frank Lavin, CEO, Export Now.
When: 5:30 p.m.
Place: Rosewood Restaurant, 9421 W. Higgins Road, Rosemont Map
Cost: $50-$65
Info/Registration: rsvp@itagc.org
~~~~~
Thursday, Oct. 18
Expanding Horizons for Small Businesses Entering International Markets
Learn how hundreds of American small businesses have used Overseas Private Investment Corp. finance and insurance products to gain access to emerging markets overseas.
When: 7:30 a.m.-4:45 p.m.
Place: Embassy Suites Rosemont, 5500 N. River Road, Rosemont Map
Cost: $50
Info/Register
~~~~~
Thursday, Oct. 18
Financing Your Small Business
This seminar will help you prepare to approach a commercial lender for a small-business loan. Startups and entrepreneurs welcome.
When: 6-8 p.m.
Place: North Side Community Federal Credit Union,1011 W. Lawrence Ave.Map
Cost: Free
Register: info@northsidecommunityfcu.org
~~~~~
Thursday, Oct. 18
Making Competitors Irrelevant
David Aaker, author and vice chairman of Prophet, discusses his latest book: “Brand Relevance: Making Competitors Irrelevant.”
When: 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Place: The Standard Club, 320 S. Plymouth Court Map
Cost: $45-$65
Register
~~~~~
Thursday, Oct. 18
Expanding Horizons: Workshop for Small Businesses Entering International Markets
Learn how hundreds of American small businesses have used Overseas Private Investment Corporation finance and insurance products to gain access to emerging markets overseas.
When: 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Place: Embassy Suites Chicago-O’Hare/Rosemont, 5500 N. River Road, Rosemont Map
Cost: $50
Register
~~~~~
Monday, Oct. 22
Chicago Innovation Awards
An event to celebrate the creative spirit of the Chicago region by honoring its most innovative new products and services.
When: 5-8:30 p.m.
Place: Harris Theater, 205 E. Randolph Drive
Cost: $25
Register
~~~~~
Monday, Oct. 22
Startup Grind Chicago
Startup Grind is an event series and website designed to help educate, inspire and connect local entrepreneurs. Ross Kimbarovsky, co-founder of CrowdSpring, will share his experiences.
When: 7-9 p.m.
Place: 1871, 222 Merchandise Mart Plaza, 12th floor Map
Cost: $10-$30
Register
~~~~~
Tuesday, Oct. 23
Pocketbook-Friendly Publicity: Free PR for Your Business
This workshop will teach you ways to get great publicity without the publicist. Learn how to make a pitch, follow up with media professionals and use social media to accomplish PR tasks.
When: 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
Place: Enerspace, 1046 W. Kinzie St.Map
Cost: $45
Register
~~~~~
Thursday, Oct. 25
The Basics of Search Engine Optimization
Web marketing guru Rod Holmes from Chicago Style SEO explains the basics of what to do (and what not to do) to be recognized by the major search engines.
When: 9-10:30 a.m.
Place: Industrial Council of Nearwest Chicago, 320 N. Damen Ave., first floor Map
Cost: Free
Register
~~~~~
Monday, Oct. 29
The Power of Email Marketing: Leveraging Social Media
Tom Casale, founder of Simplified Solutions, provide a concise but comprehensive overview of how easy it is to create and send professional-looking email marketing combined with great social marketing efforts.
When: 8:45 a.m.-noon
Place: SCORE/SBA, 50 W. Madison St., Suite 1150 Map
Cost: $50, $60
Register/Information
~~~~~
Tuesday, Oct. 30
TechnoriPitch
A monthly showcase of innovative startups pitching their latest technologies before a crowd of entrepreneurs, designers, tech companies, investors and tech enthusiasts.
When: 6:30-8:45 p.m.
Place: Chase Auditorium, 10 S. Dearborn St., lower lobby Map
Cost: $10-$20
Register/Info
~~~~~
Wednesday, Oct. 31
Echelon Leadership Summit
We all lead from where we are currently. Improve your leadership and take yourself to the next level.
When: 7:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
Place: NIU Naperville Conference Center, 1120 E. Diehl Road, Naperville Map
Cost: $99-$150
Register
~~~~~
Thursday, Nov. 1
Is Content Still King?
Joe Pulizzi, author, speaker and strategist for content marketing, presents a TED-style session on content generation and use.
When: 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Place: The Standard Club, 320 S. Plymouth Court Map
Cost: $45-$65
Register
~~~~~
Nov. 1-3
National Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization (CEO) Conference
Join more than 1,200 students, faculty, entrepreneurs and other entrepreneurial-minded individuals at this motivational event where 70 outstanding entrepreneurs and business leaders share their expertise and lessons.
Place: Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, 2233 S. Martin Luther King Drive Map
Information
~~~~~
Thursday, Nov. 1
Information Technology for Small Business
Catch phrases — “the cloud,” “SEO,” “VoIP” — can be confusing. Not sure where to start or what to do? Learn DIY tactics that can save you time and money. Presented by Seraph Technology Solutions.
When: 6-8 p.m.
Place: University of Chicago Law School, 1111 E. 60th St., Room V Map
Cost: Free
Register
~~~~~
Wednesdays, Nov. 7 -March 6
Entrepreneurship Primer
DePaul University faculty and experienced entrepreneurs present theories combining traditional MBA programs with the real-world entrepreneurial training needed for success.
When: 6-9 p.m.
Place: DePaul University, 14 E. Jackson Blvd., Chicago Map
Cost: $2,995
Register
~~~~~
Wednesday, Nov. 14
Starting a Business in Illinois
Learn the basic elements of starting a successful business including an overview of the business plan. The presenter offers a realistic view of the requirements to start a business and the resources available to support a new venture.
When: 4-6 p.m.
Place: Harold Washington Library, 400 S. State St., lower level theater room Map
Cost: Free
Register
~~~~~
Thursday, Nov. 15
Financing Your Small Business
This seminar will help you prepare to approach a commercial lender for a small-business loan. Startups and entrepreneurs welcome.
When: 6-8 p.m.
Place: North Side Community Federal Credit Union, 1011 W. Lawrence Ave.Map
Cost: Free
Register: info@northsidecommunityfcu.org
~~~~~
Tuesday, Nov. 17
10 Things Every Entrepreneur Must Know
This workshop led by Mike Sullivan will provide business insights a typical entrepreneur may have never considered, which may mean the difference between stunning success and abysmal failure.
When: 7-8:30 p.m.
Place: Wilmette Public Library, 1242 Wilmette Ave., Wilmette
Cost: Free
Register
~~~~~
Thursday, Nov. 29
The Basics of Pay-Per-Click Advertising
Rod Holmes from Chicago Style SEO gives some basic guidelines and answers questions on how to make your web advertising campaign a success.
When: 9-10:30 a.m.
Place: Industrial Council of Nearwest Chicago, 320 N. Damen Ave., first floor Map
Cost: Free
Register
~~~~~
Thursday, Dec. 6
Credit 101 for Small Business Owners
Get the basics of credit scores for small-business owners, including checking and understanding your credit report, fixing errors, and what you can do to build and improve your credit. Mike Cohen, Illinois SBDC at the Duman Entrepreneurship Center at JVS Chicago, presents.
When: 6-8 p.m.
Place: University of Chicago Law School, 1111 E. 60th St., Room V Map
Cost: Free
Register
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To add your event to Crain’s Small-biz Calendar, e-mail details to smallbizcalendar@gmail.com Connect with Crain’s via Facebook and Twitter. And stay on top of Chicago business with Crain’s free daily e-newsletters.
Partly cloudy with a chance of jobs
By Michael Alter
This may be one of those times when the forecast in Chicago is actually looking better than the rest of the country. While we’re used to extreme heat, freezing rain, snow and bone-chilling winds, right now things are relatively calm. Of course, we’re not talking about the weather.
The SurePayroll Small Business Scorecard for the month of September shows hiring down 0.2 percent, paychecks flat and owners’ optimism about the small business economy at only 45 percent, off 15 points from August when it was 60 percent. The optimism survey also found that for 77 percent of small-business owners, the upcoming election is having an impact on their optimism, with 61 percent saying they plan to vote for Mitt Romney and 33 percent for Barack Obama.
Here in the Chicago area, the story is somewhat different. It’s still not a fairy tale, but hiring remained flat month over month in September, and it marks the third straight month where hiring has either stayed flat or gone up. The average paycheck has gone up 0.3 percent month over month in September.
Couple that with the recent news that 20 local technology companies have committed to creating more than 2,000 jobs by 2015 and there is reason to be optimistic for the city and its surrounding suburbs.
The mayor’s launching of the Chicago Broadband Challenge is also a step in the right direction. The program aims to attract more startups with affordable gigabit speed broadband Internet, to expand access to high-speed Internet service in the neighborhoods that need it, and to increase Internet access and speeds at places like schools, libraries and parks.
These are steps that can help people learn and gain new skills, as well as attract new companies that can create jobs. All good things for our economy.
Still, while our concerns locally may not be as great as they are nationally, we can’t succeed as an island. The whole country has to get going.
What our survey tells us is that the outlook for growth through the election is not good. If small-business owners aren’t optimistic, why would they start hiring and expanding their businesses? Regardless of the election’s outcome or what side of the aisle you’re on, we all need a clearer — and, we hope, brighter — picture of our economic future.
Michael Alter is president and CEO of SurePayroll, a small-business payroll services company based in Glenview. The company collects information on small-business hiring based on its nationwide database of SurePayroll software users; Mr. Alter comments on trendlines in the data each month here on Crain’s blog for Chicago entrepreneurs.
Follow SurePayroll and Michael Alter on Twitter.
Join Crain’s LinkedIn group for Chicago entrepreneurs. And stay on top of Chicago business with Crain’s free daily e-newsletters.
Startup Grind, Entrepreneurs Unpluggd, Crain’s Small Business Week and more
Crain’s brings you weekly news of seminars, networking events, awards dinners, contests and courses of interest to Chicago-area entrepreneurs. Send your event announcements to smallbizcalendar@gmail.com
EVENTS JUST ANNOUNCED
~~~~~
Monday, Oct. 8
How to Form Your Own Corporation or LLC
CPA Clint Costa of Harrison & Held will help you learn how to pick the right business entity and how to save money as you establish yourself and become recognized as a business by the state.
When: 6-7:30 p.m.
Place: Michigan Plaza, 205 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 2500 Map
Cost: $20
Register
~~~~~
Tuesday, Oct. 9
Entrepreneurs Unpluggd: Recognizing and Capitalizing on Opportunities
Emerson Spartz, founder and CEO, SpartzMedia, Matt Matros, founder and CEO, Protein Bar and Jill Salzman, founder and CEO, Founding Moms, discuss their startup ideas, how they recognized the potential of their companies and executing the first steps to growth.
When: 6-9 p.m.
Place: Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division St. Map
Cost: $20-$30
Register
~~~~~
Tuesday, Oct. 9
Taking Control of Your Website With WordPress
WordPress Developer Becky Davis will teach you about the power of this Web platform and how it can benefit your business.
When: 8:45 a.m.-noon
Place: Score/SBA, 50 W. Madison, Suite 1150 Map
Cost: $50, $60
Register/Information
~~~~~
Wednesday, Oct. 10
How to Write a Business Plan
John Noel of the Illinois Small Business Development Center at the University of Illinois-Chicago gives an overview on the elements of business plans and how to properly produce one.
When: 3-4:30 p.m.
Place: City of Chicago Department of Business Affairs, 121 N. LaSalle, Room 805 Map
Cost: Free
Information or 312.744.5344
~~~~~
Wednesday, Oct. 10
Export Basics
Class will discuss determining a product’s export potential, assessing a company’s export readiness and developing an export plan & strategy. Presentation by E. Nystrom, Illinois SBDC.
When: 9 a.m.-noon
Place: College of Lake County, 19351 W. Washington St. Room T326, Grayslake Map
Cost: $50
Register
~~~~~
Friday, Oct. 12
Technology 101 for Small Business
Laura Sanchez, CEO of SWATware, will teach you how implement some of IT’s best practices for your company and how to avoid mistakes many small businesses make regarding IT governance.
When: 9:20-11 a.m.
Place: City of Chicago Department of Business Affairs, 121 N. LaSalle, Room 805 Map
Cost: Free
Information or 312.744.5344
~~~~~
Monday, Oct. 15
Global Partnership USA 2012 in Chicago
Explore and develop comprehensive business partnerships with Korean manufacturers at his forum, networking luncheon and one-on-one meetings sponsored by Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency.
When: 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
Place: Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, 5555 N. River Road, Rosemont Map
Cost: Free
Register
~~~~~
Tuesday, Oct. 16
Big Data Means Big Opportunities
Wondering exactly what “big data” is and what it means for your business? Find out and hear from a Chicagol-area panel real-life examples of how big data is transforming the business landscape.
When: 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Place: Emmi Solutions, 300 W. Adams, Suite 1200 Map
Cost: $10-40
Register
~~~~~
Monday, Oct. 22
Startup Grind Chicago
Startup Grind is an event series and website designed to help educate, inspire and connect local entrepreneurs. Ross Kimbarovsky, co-founder of Crowdspring.com, will share his experiences.
When: 7-9 p.m.
Place: 1871, 222 Merchandise Mart Plaza, 12th Floor Map
Cost: $10-$30
Register
~~~~~
Monday, Oct. 29
The Power of Email Marketing: Leveraging Social Media
Tom Casale, founder of Simplified Solutions, provide a concise but comprehensive overview of how easy it is to create and send professional-looking email marketing combined with great social marketing efforts.
When: 8:45 a.m.-noon
Place: Score/SBA, 50 W. Madison, Suite 1150 Map
Cost: $50, $60
Register/Information
~~~~~
Tuesday, Oct. 30
TechnoriPitch
A monthly showcase of innovative startups pitching their latest technologies before a crowd of entrepreneurs, designers, tech companies, investors and tech enthusiasts.
When: 6:30-8:45 p.m.
Place: Chase Auditorium, 10 S. Dearborn St., Lower Lobby Map
Cost: $10-$20
Register/Info
~~~~~
Thursday, Nov. 1
Is Content Still King?
Joe Pulizzi is a leading author, speaker and strategist for content marketing, presents a TED-style session on content generation and use.
When: 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Place: Standard Club, 320 S. Plymouth Court Map
Cost: $45-$65
Register
EVENTS THIS WEEK
Oct. 1-5
Crain’s Small Business Week
Dozens of events and thousands of networking opportunities will take place this week in and around Chicago. Check the calendar of events and join the conversation at #SmallBizWeek.
Calendar of Events
~~~~~
Oct. 1-2
Converge Chicago Social Media Conference
Industry branding practitioners provide real-world business cases that enhance both the brand engagement with consumers and ultimately drive bottom-line P&L statements.
When: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Place: Union League Club of Chicago, 65 W. Jackson Map
Cost: $99-$499
Register
~~~~~
Tuesday, Oct. 2
Kick Ass Content Marketing Strategies with Andy Crestodina
Learn the skinny on how content strategy works with search marketing and social media and what content connects with visitors and why visitors turn into leads.
When: 6-8 p.m.
Place: Catalyst Ranch, 656 W. Randolph St. Map
Cost: $25
Register
~~~~~
Tuesday, Oct. 2
SBA Lender Matchmaking
Meet one-on-one with a lender to learn about the available of SBA loans, microloans, Advantage Illinois program opportunities and other financing needs.
When: 1-4 p.m.
Place: Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, 200 E. Randolph Map
Cost: Free
Register
~~~~~
Tuesday, Oct. 2
Crain’s Small Business Week: Access to Capital Luncheon
An exclusive panel discussion will demystify the choices for capital. Alternatives to corporate finance in today’s market can be hard to find and the process can be extremely detailed.
When: 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Place: Mid-America Club, 200 E. Randolph St., 80th Floor Map
Cost: $25
Register By Oct. 1
~~~~~
Wednesday, Oct. 3
Using E-tools for Building Business
As customers rely more on online tools to find vendors and conduct business, you need to learn about a flexible method that changes how your prospect for customers, close sales and serve clients with online tools.
When: 8-10:30 a.m.
Place: Illinois Science and Technology Park Auditorium, 8045 Lamon, Skokie
Cost: Free
Register
~~~~~
Wednesday, Oct. 3
ITA Crain’s Small Business Week Event: The Five Biggest Social Media Mistakes
Leslie Vickrey and Michelle Krier from ClearEdge Marketing lead this informative and interactive discussion and help you turn social media mistakes into social media mastery.
When: 8:30-10:30 a.m.
Place: ITA @ TechNexus, 200 S. Wacker Drive, 15th Floor, Room A/B Map
Register
~~~~~
Wednesday, Oct. 3
Crain’s Small Business Week Panel Discussion: Networking, Social Media & PR
A panel of experts in small-business development, marketing, content strategy, sales and social media present an interactive program designed to share insider expertise and best practices through a Q&A forum sponsored by the Small Business Advocacy Council.
When: 8-11 a.m.
Place: 20 South Clark, 14th Floor (map)
Cost: Free-$10
Register stephanie@sbacil.org
~~~~~
Wednesday, Oct. 3
NetMarketing Breakfast: Bringing Interactive Marketers Together
Find the digital marketing inspiration you’ve been looking for from other successful b-to-b marketers. Panelists will discuss their success with innovative platforms and key insights that will play an essential role in the future of your marketing strategies.
When: 7:45-10 a.m.
Place: Mid-America Club (map) 200 E. Randolph, 80th Floor Map
Cost: $25-$60
Register
~~~~~
Wednesday, Oct. 3
Creating a Financial Plan
Learn about preparing financial statement projections, understanding your capital needs, different types of capital sources. Participants will receive workbook templates for completing their financial projections on their own.
When: 5-7 p.m.
Place: Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies, 815 W. Van Buren, Suite 400 Map
Cost: Free
Register
~~~~~
Wednesday, Oct. 3
Starting a Business in Illinois: Creating a Financial Plan
Learn to create the necessary financial information needed for a business plan including financial statement projections, capital needs and capital sources. Participants get workbook templates for completing their financial projections on their own.
When: 3:30-5:30 p.m.
Place: Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies, 815 W. Van Buren, Suite 400 Map
Cost: Free
Register
~~~~~
October 3-5
2012 Polsky Center Open House
The Center will host open house drop-in sessions for students to learn about entrepreneurship at the University of Chicago, including courses, programs, student groups and more. For information, contact Tracey Keller.
~~~~~
Thursday, Oct. 4
A Conversation with Matthew Shay, President and CEO, National Retail Federation
Mr. Shay will discuss NRF’s ongoing Retail Means Jobs campaign, the value of a career in retail and provide a Washington update on the major issues impacting retailers and consumers.
When: 7:30-9 a.m.
Place: Crate & Barrel headquarters, 1250 Techny Road, Northbrook Map
Cost: Free
Register
~~~~~
Friday, Oct. 5
City Treasurer’s Small Business Expo
More than 3,000 attendees gather for workshops and resources to help their businesses grow.
When: 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Place: UIC Forum, 725 W. Roosevelt Road Map
Cost: Free
Info/Register
~~~~~
Monday, Oct. 8
The Art of Selling Without Really Selling
Presenter Jim Sheehan of Sales Results Inc., provides tips on how to improve your revenue.
When: 7-9 p.m.
Place: Schaumburg Township District Library, Central Library, Rasmussen North, 130 S. Roselle Road, Schaumburg
Cost: Free
Register
~~~~~
Monday, Oct. 8.
Cage-Free Guide to Starting a Company
Students will first learn about how to select the right business entity. We’ll get into the nitty-gritty details of how to decipher between LLC and Inc., and learn which title is right for your budding business.
When: 6-7:30 p.m.
Place: Michigan Plaza, 205 N. Michigan Ave. Suite 2500 Map
Cost: $20
Register
~~~~~
Wednesday, Oct. 10
Export Basics
Class, sponsored by the Illinois SBDC at College of Lake County, will discuss determining a product’s export potential, assessing a company’s export readiness and developing an export plan and strategy.
When 9 a.m.-noon
Place: College of Lake County, 19351 West Washington Street, Room T326, Grayslake Map
Cost: $50.
Information
~~~~~
Wednesday, Oct. 10
Business Plan Basics
Learn the requirements to start a business and the resources available to support a new venture. Topics include: business plan preparation, market research, legal structures, and financial plan.
When: 3-4:30 p.m.
Place: Chicago City Hall, 121 N. LaSalle St., Room 805 Map
Cost: Free
Information
~~~~~
Thursday, Oct. 11
Spotlight on Entrepreneurial Opportunities for Baby Boomers
Center for Productive Longevity program to empower more people to live active, engaged and productive lives in their later years and to inspire more people to become entrepreneurs by providing them with the resources and guidance they need to succeed.
When: 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Place: Northwestern University/Kellogg School of Management, 2001 Sheridan Road, Evanston Map
Cost: $35
Register
~~~~~
Tuesday, Oct. 16
Built In Chicago Launch
Recently launched startups the opportunity to present their companies in front of 350 investors, fellow entrepreneurs and startup enthusiasts.
When: 6-9 p.m.
Place: Rockit Bar & Grill, 22 W. Hubbard St. Map
Cost: $10-$20
Register
~~~~~
Wednesday, Oct. 17
How to Sell to Chinese Consumers Through E-Commerce
International Trade Association of Greater Chicago presents Frank Lavin, CEO, Export Now.
When: 5:30 p.m.
Place: Rosewood Restaurant, 9421 W. Higgins Road, Rosemont Map
Cost: $50-$65
Info/Registration: rsvp@itagc.org
~~~~~
Thursday, Oct. 18
Expanding Horizons for Small Businesses Entering International Markets
Learn how hundreds of American small businesses have used Overseas Private Investment Corp. finance and insurance products to gain access to emerging markets overseas.
When: 7:30 a.m. 4:45 p.m.
Place: Embassy Suites Rosemont, 5500 N. River Road, Rosemont Map
Cost: $50.
Info/Register
~~~~~
Thursday, Oct. 18
Financing Your Small Business
This seminar will help you prepare to approach a commercial lender for a small business loan. Startups and entrepreneurs welcome.
When: 6-8 p.m.
Place: North Side Community Federal Credit Union,1011 W. Lawrence Map
Cost: Free
Register: info@northsidecommunityfcu.org
~~~~~
Thursday, Oct. 18
Making Competitors Irrelevant
David Aaker, author and vice chairman of Prophet, discusses his latest book: "Brand Relevance: Making Competitors Irrelevant
When: 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Place: Standard Club, 320 S. Plymouth Court Map
Cost: $45-$65
Register
~~~~~
Thursday, Oct. 18
Expanding Horizons: Workshop for Small Businesses Entering International Markets
Learn how hundreds of American small businesses have used Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) finance and insurance products to gain access to emerging markets overseas.
When: 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Place: Embassy Suites Chicago-O’Hare/Rosemont, 5500 N. River Road, Rosemont Map
Cost: $50
Register
~~~~~
Monday, Oct. 22
Chicago Innovation Awards
An event to celebrate the creative spirit of the Chicago region by honoring its most innovative new products and services.
When: 5-8:30 p.m.
Place: Harris Theater, 205 E. Randolph Drive
Cost: $25
Register
~~~~~
Tuesday, Oct. 23
Pocketbook-Friendly Publicity: Free PR For Your Business
This workshop will teach you ways to get great publicity without the fancy publicist! Learn how to make a pitch, follow up with media professionals and use social media to accomplish PR tasks.
When: 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
Place: Enerspace, 1046 W. Kinzie Map
Cost: $45
Register
~~~~~
Thursday, Oct. 25
The Basics of Search Engine Optimization
Web marketing guru Rod Holmes from Chicago Style SEO explains the basics of what to do (and what not to do) to be recognized by the major search engines.
When: 9-10:30 a.m.
Place: Industrial Council of Nearwest Chicago, 320 N. Damen Ave. First Floor Map
Cost: Free
Register
~~~~~
Wednesday, Oct. 31
Echelon Leadership Summit
We all lead from where we are currently. Improve your leadership and take yourself to the next level with customized leadership to help you be more successful.
When: 7:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
Place: NIU Naperville Conference Center, 1120 E. Diehl Road, Naperville Map
Cost: $99-$150
Register
~~~~~
Nov. 1-3
National Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization (CEO) Conference
Join over 1,200 students, faculty, entrepreneurs, and other entrepreneurial-minded individuals at this motivational event where 70 outstanding entrepreneurs and business leaders share their expertise and lessons.
Place: Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, 2233 South Martin L. King Drive Map
Information
~~~~~
Thursday, Nov. 1
Information Technology for Small Business
Catch phrases —the cloud, SEO and VoIP are confusing. Not sure where to start or what to do? Learn DIY tactics that can save you time and money. Presented by Seraph Technology Solutions.
When: 6-8 p.m.
Place: University of Chicago Law School, 1111 E. 60th St, Room V Map
Cost: Free
Register
~~~~~
Wednesdays, Nov. 7 -March 6
Entrepreneurship Primer
DePaul University faculty and experienced entrepreneurs present theories combining traditional MBA programs with the real-world entrepreneurial training needed for success.
When: 6-9 p.m.
Place: DePaul University, 14 E. Jackson, Chicago Map
Cost: $2,995
Register
~~~~~
Wednesday, Nov. 14
Starting a Business in Illinois
Learn the basic elements of starting a successful business including an overview of the business plan. The presenter offers a realistic view of the requirements to start a business and the resources available to support a new venture.
When: 4-6 p.m.
Place: Harold Washington Library, 400 S. State St., Lower Level Theater Room Map
Cost: Free
Register
~~~~~
Thursday, Nov. 15
Financing Your Small Business
This seminar will help you prepare to approach a commercial lender for a small business loan. Start ups and entrepreneurs welcome.
When: 6-8 p.m.
Place: North Side Community Federal Credit Union,1011 W. Lawrence Map
Cost: Free
Register: info@northsidecommunityfcu.org
~~~~~
Tuesday, Nov. 17
10 Things Every Entrepreneur Must Know
This workshop led by Mike Sullivan will provide business insights a typical entrepreneur may have never considered, which may mean the difference between stunning success and abysmal failure.
When: 7-8:30 p.m.
Place: Wilmette Public Library, 1242 Wilmette Ave.
Cost: Free
Register
~~~~~
Thursday, Nov. 29
The Basics of Pay-Per-Click Advertising
Rod Holmes from Chicago Style SEO gives some basic guidelines and answers questions on how to make your web advertising campaign a success.
When: 9-10:30 a.m.
Place: Industrial Council of Nearwest Chicago, 320 N. Damen Ave., First Floor Map
Cost: Free
Register
~~~~~
Thursday, Dec. 6
Credit 101 for Small Business Owners
Get the basics of credit scores for small business owners, including checking and understanding your credit report, fixing errors, and what you can do to build and improve your credit. Mike Cohen, Illinois SBDC at the Duman Entrepreneurship Center at JVS Chicago, presents.
When: 6-8 p.m.
Place: University of Chicago Law School, 1111 E 60th St., Room V Map
Cost: Free
Register
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To add your event to Crain’s Small-biz Calendar, e-mail details to smallbizcalendar@gmail.com Connect with Crain’s via Facebook and Twitter. And stay on top of Chicago business with Crain’s free daily e-newsletters.
Featured Resources
Follow Us On Twitter
- mobiletxtmarket: the next time you get your phone bill think of unlimited 4G talk, text & data $49.00 a month or FREE http://t.co/Ipcwr1Elp8 May 22, 2013
- mobiletxtmarket: Do you have to market your business using Mobile Technology, ABSOLUTLY yes, all will show you why. http://t.co/K0509ZquLA May 20, 2013
- mobiletxtmarket: Win a FREE year of @Solavei Mobile Service by #Tweet2getFREE #SolaveiCHICAGO Click 2 win http://t.co/AQEoDytNlR May 14, 2013
- mobiletxtmarket: @Dontoverpaymktg if you love nw marketing you'll love this http://t.co/Y23jw3PJPr take a look and connect with me on the page, April 29, 2013
- mobiletxtmarket: @avonforwomen @sparkitup add a 2nd direct sales you can sell to both the your avon customers and their spouse http://t.co/TlF0VpXWKv April 29, 2013
- mobiletxtmarket: take a look at this video and contact me... 4g unlimited text, talk, data, http://t.co/vVdnKfx0Nh April 24, 2013
- mobiletxtmarket: do something about the high cost of mobile service http://t.co/vVdnKfx0Nh April 24, 2013
- mobiletxtmarket: #solavei members in IL contact me info@hittowin.com. what to do a social at Buffalo Wild wings,, want to join April 11, 2013
- mobiletxtmarket: Lennon & Maisy - Ho Hey (The Lumineers) NASHVILLE: http://t.co/FPnuIydL1F via @youtube April 6, 2013
- mobiletxtmarket: @angelaksgiles sorry for the delayed, can NOT keep pace with all that's going on in the mobile world. email me at info@hittowin.com March 31, 2013